Changes to lottery include higher prizes

The Oklahoma Lottery is revamping its products and marketing strategy in light of a recent law change removing the requirement that 35 percent of its profits go to education.

The changes were discussed Tuesday during a meeting of the Lottery Commission.

Supporters of House Bill 1837, which was signed into law by Gov. Mary Fallin, say the change will increase prizes, resulting in more players and more funding for education.

It means the lottery will be able to provide a projected $335 million to education in the next five years, said Jay Finks, Oklahoma Lottery director of marketing and administration.

Without the change, the figure would be $225 million, he said.

Lottery officials have a goal of increasing sales by 30 percent next year, increasing sales on instant tickets by almost $40 million, Finks said.

Lottery officials are in the process of replacing all instant tickets with brand new tickets with higher payouts, he said.

According to research, the public has low confidence that money from the lottery goes to education, Finks said. The new marketing strategy will attempt to change the perception.

Because the lottery has now become “a real lottery,” it will need more marketing to act like one, said Rollo Redburn, executive director.

Since its inception and through the end of fiscal year 2017, the lottery will have given the state $805 million, he said.

Lottery officials have a goal of giving the state $58 million in fiscal year 2018, Redburn said.

The figure is expected to rise to $65 million in fiscal year 2019, Finks said.